TORONTO — There were competing shouts of ‘Go Jays Go’ and ‘Go Mariners Go’ – and no doubt Toronto fans wished for a better final score – but game 2 of the ALCS at Rogers Centre ultimately made for a great night out, thanks to host Visit Seattle.

It was a very impromptu visit for Seattle’s tourism board, but for a very important reason: cross-border relations. “We love our Canadian visitors to the north and so we had the opportunity to collaborate with our friends the City of Mississauga and host some of our trade friends and show our love for Canada,” said Visit Seattle’s Tourism Manager, Caitlyn Shearer.

Travelweek’s Annie Cicvaric, in attendance at last night’s event, also asked Shearer about Visit Seattle’s message to the travel community. “We are ready and our arms are open for whenever they want to come back to Seattle. We love coming up north and spreading that love and spreading that message.”

Caitlyn Shearer, Tourism Manager, Visit Seattle; Hayden Adair, Account Manager, Elite Sports Tours; Tammy Canavan, President & CEO, Visit Seattle

Last year Seattle welcomed 2.4 million international visitors – and Canada led the way as Seattle’s leading international market, contributing 1.7 million visitors in 2024, accounting for 73.3% of overall international visitation.

While a projected dip in 2025 poses challenges, Seattle is gearing up for a rebound with expanded international flights and major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile rising interest in Seattle from growing markets signal shifting global travel trends. In 2024 China followed Canada with 106,200 visitors, while India rose to the top three with 74,700 visitors, up from sixth in 2019. Seattle’s other top markets included the UK, South Korea, Germany, Japan, Australia, France and Taiwan.

Total visitor spending reached a record-setting $8.8 billion in 2024—a 7.2% increase from 2023 and 8.3% above pre-covid 2019 levels. Canada led international spending with $585.6 million, followed by China ($75.3 million) and India ($46.9 million). Ukraine entered the top 10 spenders list ($10.2 million), jumping 10 spots from 2019.

Caitlyn Shearer, Tourism Manager, Visit Seattle (left) and Tammy Canavan, President & CEO, Visit Seattle (all event pics courtesy Annie Cicvaric)

Visit Seattle notes that interest from the city’s developing inbound markets highlight evolving travel behaviours and cost considerations. “These developments present timely opportunities to reinforce Seattle’s global connections and build upon established relationships across key international markets.”

However, international travel to Seattle continues to face significant challenges. A recent Tourism Economics forecast projects a 26.9% decline in international overnight visitation to the city in 2025, the steepest drop among major U.S. destinations, with 99% of that decline driven by reduced Canadian travel. These trends, compounded by policy headwinds such as heightened visa scrutiny and new interview requirements, are expected to shape travel patterns throughout the rest of the year and beyond, says Visit Seattle.

Despite this, Washington is projected to see a comparatively moderate 20% decrease in Canadian visitor spending, about $10 per capita, according to Tourism Economics. As Visit Seattle notes, in this light Washington is faring better than other northern border states and is not among the hardest hit by the downturn in Canadian travel.

“Seattle’s global appeal continues to grow and evolve, even as the tourism industry navigates ongoing challenges,” said Tammy Canavan, President and CEO, Visit Seattle. “We’re encouraged by the strong visitor engagement we saw in 2024, which reflects the dedication of our tourism and hospitality partners. International visitors remain a vital part of our visitor economy, and we look forward to welcoming them in greater numbers in the coming years.”

Looking ahead, Seattle is well positioned to welcome both domestic and international visitors in 2026 and beyond. With new global connections including direct flights from Copenhagen via Scandinavian Airlines, resumed service from Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific, and expanded routes to Tokyo, Seoul, London, Rome, and more, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is set to service over 60 international routes in 2026. Strategic efforts will focus on the flight expansions as well as FIFA World Cup, where Seattle and Washington state is expected to host up to 750,000 people engaging in matches, Fan Fest celebrations and related activities.

More information about travel to Seattle is at VisitSeattle.org.

Back row (l-r) Travelweek’s Annie Cicvaric; Rob Adair; Visit Seattle’s Caitlyn Shearer; Debbie Kenton with Perkopolis and middle row (l-r) Elite Sports Tours’ Hayden Adair; John D’Amato; with Visit Seattle’s Tammy Canavan in front